Summit: Startup promises disc storage that will last for 1,000 years

Standard DVDs can be unreadable after only a few years

A US firm has started selling DVD storage discs that it claims will still be readable in 1,000 years.

Cranberry is touting the DVD technology as a way to guarantee that data burned onto their discs will still be readable by current players for 1,000 years, in contrast to many DVDs burned by computer that the Library of Congress warns may be unreadable in as little as five years.

“The Cranberry DiamonDisc is playable on most regular DVD drives today and will last as far into the future as we can imagine," said David McInnis, founder of Cranberry.

"Who wouldn't want to preserve their family or business legacy for generations to come?"

The company said that instead of using adhesive, dye or reflective layers that can deteriorate over time, its technology uses a new form of laser to burn data into a synthetic stone disc.

This, however, comes at a price. The discs themselves cost around $30 apiece and cannot be burned by standard computer technology. Instead the company burns the data itself and then forwards the discs to customers.

“CD/DVD experiential life expectancy is two to five years even though published life expectancies are often cited as 10 years, 25 years, or longer,” says the US National Archive on its web site.

“However, any specific medium may experience a critical failure before its life expectancy is reached.”

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